History, once written solely by the victors, is being rewoven through Tapestry of Black Britons, reclaiming space for the stories that have always been here. The tapestry is both literal and metaphorical—celebrating the interconnectedness of British history and asserting that it is incomplete without recognising the deep and enduring contributions of people of African descent.
Paula Ogun Hector, former Haberdasher’s student, founded Tapestry of Black Britons, a community interest company to develop this multi-panel touring artwork with creatives, schools, universities, exhibition venues and community groups across Britain. It honours historic and ongoing Black contributions and will stretch back to Roman Britain and Tudor courts—because these are British stories and our shared cultural legacy.
The project’s first funders are The Haberdashers Company and Paula has gone on to lead art creation workshops at Haberdashers’ schools including: Hatcham College, Crayford and Borough. Some artwork was woven and displayed at the prestigious Arnolfini launch of this project (Bristol’s international public gallery) in May-June 2025, aligning with national VE Day 80 commemorations. A second exhibition marking VJ Day 80 was hosted at London’s Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre with Lord Paul Boateng and WW2 veteran Gilbert Clarke.
The WW2 panel, four metres wide, features over 60 Black service personnel and civilians, including Sam King MBE (later Mayor of Southwark), Cy Grant and Johnny Smythe (both POW survivors), Lilian Bader and George Arthur Roberts (honoured in Royal Mail’s VE80 stamps), Ena Collymore-Woodstock (now 107), the African American “Six Triple Eight” battalion, Una Marson, Dr Harold Moody, and George Padmore.
This living artwork will continue to grow with embroidery, kente, and mixed media embellishments. A companion digital tapestry will house images, biographies, and descendant-submitted stories, ensuring these narratives live on. Paula, who used to enjoy Roman myths during her Latin lessons, commissioned a Yoruba Creation Story tapestry, designed by Adeche Atelier, exploring African cosmology pre-colonialism.
Generous collaborations deepen the project’s impact: poets Grace Nichols and John Agard offered special performances that align with the themes in the project.
Paula is planning an African Romans, African Tudors and a poetry tapestry comprised of KS3 and KS4 imagery including work from Haberdashers’ Hatcham College.
Paula has a background in inclusive storytelling—studying African history and diasporic literature at University of Sussex, producing factual TV for the BBC, working in PR, leading an alternative provision for neurodiverse teens, and winning a place on BBC’s Drama Room with her first history drama script.
Funded by Arts Council England the tapestries tour nationally through 2027, with exhibitions at Birmingham’s Legacy Centre, Fulham Palace Museum, Bristol Beacon, and Wells Cathedral.
For co-creation, sponsorship and workshop opportunities, contact paula@tapestryofblackbritons.com
Follow the progress of the project at www.tapestryofblackbritons.com.
